Your Past is My Future ✓

➻One

Seven knights sent to save my family and I, huh? I thought as I hastened down the cobblestone streets of 19th Century Chicago. I could use them right now.

The usual grey city smog smeared the sky matching the dull grey and white colors of the buildings and streets below. Horse-drawn carriages passed by me frequently on the roads, their hooves clopping steadily on the street along with the rattle of the wheels of the carriage.

I normally enjoyed admiring the strong creatures as they passed me, but today I kept my head down, hoping for the large rimmed hat upon my head to obscure most of my face. I felt sharp eyes upon my back and it took all my might not to glance over my shoulder where, for sure, I would see one of Sir Augustus' men.

I had first sensed being followed when I went to the marketplace to buy some more bread for my mother. I had kept looking around nervously around the busy marketplace, but I'd only seen men in tailcoats and fashionable waistcoats as well as women in bonnets and skirts milling around the square.

It wasn't until I had began to walk to my estate that I caught the person following me: a man in a tall hat and dressed in all black.

It was only a glimpse, but I had seen the golden button stitched upon the man's bosom, right above his heart. It was the significant mark of one of Sir Augustus' men, which meant, if he was following me it couldn't be good news.

It was my dear, beloved father, right before he passed, who told me of the 'seven knights.' I was ten years old; old enough to know my dad was too sick to be in his right mind. I still listened to him, as any daughter ought to. My father had told me that "seven handsome knights were to be sent to our family to protect it and bring peace" after my father died.

It's been seven years since he is death and his talk of 'seven knights' and no one, not even one man, had come forth to 'save' my family. Rather, they came more often than not to wed me in hopes to have a share in my family's fortune.

I finally made it to my respectable home and hurriedly pushed open the front gates, slipped in, and then slammed the gates shut behind as quickly as I could. I finally allowed myself to glance back over my shoulder one last time.

A chill ran down my spine as I spotted the man following me standing across the street from me. I couldn't help but narrow my eyes at him. How rude of him to follow a lady on the streets. It was so improper and undignified!

As if sensing my thoughts, the man tipped his hat in mock respect to me, bowing slightly, before turning and setting off in another direction.

I exhaled slowly and, with one hand gathered my skirts and in another gripped the basket filled with foods, practically ran up to the front of my house, up the porch, and burst open the door.

"Heaven's sakes!" My mother started from her rocking chair in the parlor where she was knitting. "Miss Abigail Carver, what have I told you about entering a room?"

"I'm sorry, Mother," I replied sheepishly.

"It's very unladylike to just burst in like that," my mother sniffed disdainfully. "Anyways, did you buy what I asked for?"

"Yes, Mother," I held up the basket. "But Mother, something peculiar happened today I must tell you of."

"I have something to speak to you about as well," my mother replied. "But please, first tell me what happened to you today."